Improved cotton and hay press



which the cotton is supplied to the press.

UNITED 'STATES- ATENT Fries.

-Honimro F. Hroxs oF GRAND vrnw, 'I'isuDrAnA7 ASSIGNon To HICKS BROTHERS, or SAME PLACE.

4iii/mueven COTTON AND HAY PRESS.'

To all whom it may conc-ern.-

Beit known that I, Honn'rio F.1HICKS, of Grand View, Spencer county, Indiana, have' invented a new and useful Cotton and Hay Press; and I hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, andexact 'descriptionof the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

. The invention has for its object the effectual lpacking and pressing of cotton, Ste., with a less consumption of labor,'time', and space than heretofore.

' In the accompanying drawings, Figure .1 isV an axial section of a machine embodying my improvements. Fig; 2 is a cross-section on line ze. Fig. 3 is a perspective tiew of a detached/part of' the maghine.

- A frame, contains a vertical pressboxm about twelve feethigh. The lower half of this box has four stationary sides, B, immediately above which the box is formed by L-shaped doors C, whose shorter leaf c is hinged to the -free edge of the longer leaf c, which leaf is hinged to the frame A. The uppermost portion-of the box is closed on three sides by boards D, and is open on the fourth side to communicate with a trough or hopper, th rough The free edge of theshorter leaf c' of each door is supported, when closed, by a shoulder on the long leaf of the opposite door, which itself is Supported by a rabbet, c, in the frame, customary catches, X,lbeing employed to hold the doors shut. At or near the bottom of the frame A is a horizontal platform,F, perforated at center to hold the nut G, whose upper flange is supported uponthe rollers h lof a circular truck, H. I is the main screw, .(.of sixinches \pitch,) surmountedby apiston, J, which fits the box B.- Attached to the lower part of the nut G are sweeps K, by which the machine is driven. Attached also to the lower portion of the nut or to the sweeps isa cylindrical. ring,

` L, from whose eoncavity project spiral flanges M M. N is a follower occupying the upper' part of the box, and connected rigidly with a rod, O, which terminates belowin a sliding lsection, O', provided with a roller, P, which, when the rod is extended, rests upon the fiange M, and. in vthe operation of packing is confined between the two iianges'M M so as to produce f a -positive motion of the follower, as will be while the machine is to be used for pressing. Rollers S prevent the vertical displacement of mit the descent but oppose thereturn of the cotton in packing. l

Operatipn: rlhe piston and follower being in their-upper positions, the rods O O being united, the rollerl?, resting upon the fiat upper portion, m, of the flange M, andthe doors G closed, the upper portion of the box between the piston and follower is supplied with cotton from the hopper. The ring L and nut G being now moved in direction of red arrow, a single rotation acts to lower the piston six. inches, and at the same time to lower the follower three and one-fourth feet, thus packing or compressing about vthree feet of cotton into the space of about six inches, which the depression of the piston has left in the upper portion of the stationary part B of the box. A further rotation Serves to elevate tlie follower for another charge, when the same ,movements are repeated until the entire space inclosed between the sides 'B (about six feet deep) is packed with cotton. "llhe follower being now secured in its lowest position by the catches R and the rods O O'disconnected, an equal number o f Vrotations in direction of black arrow act to compress the cotton into thc dimensions of a bale. The doors G being now opened, the bale may be bound in any approved way.

The follower may have a rod, O O', on ea'ch of two opposite Sides, if desired, a duplication of thegrepresented iianges being provided -in the ring L. V

The press may be fed by means of an endless apron.

- By a press of this construction three'hands and one" horse have easily made a'bale in the time which under the ordinary system seven men and two horses wouldoccupy in packing only.

the lungs of the operatives, is entirely' Superseded by a far mo re'effect-.ual appliance.- The common modes require amotion of ten feet and a corresponding vbulk of press to do` the work R are catches, which serve to hold the follower stationary` 'the ring L. T are hinged iianges, which per-A The labor of stamping, so injurious to' here performed Within the space of four feet. l

What I claim ashew and of my invention herein is-` 3. The flanges T, applied Within the boXvto 4 prevent the return of the cotton, as' set forth.

4.. The described.A construction and arrangeinent of self-supporting Lsha-ped doors c c', for thev purpose explained.

In testimony of which inventionI lhereu'nto set my hand.

' HoRA'rro F. HICKS.

Witnesses:

GEO. H. KNIGHT. i C. STEEMER, Jr. 

